The invention relates to a lock device.
Such a lock device comprises                a first lock part,        a second lock part, which can in a fastening direction be arranged on the first lock part and is connected to the first lock part in a closing state, and        an actuating element, on which the second lock part is movably arranged.        
Such lock devices can in particular be applied everywhere, where two parts are to be detachably connected to each other. For example, such a lock device is suitable as a lock for a bag or another container, as holding device or as connecting device to connect two elements under tension, for example two hauling ropes or straps. In concrete application such a lock device can for example be employed to couple a leash with a collar for pets.
An application when elements are loaded by compression is also conceivable. In the lock device the second lock part is held on the first lock part via the actuating element in the closing state. For this purpose, the second lock part acts together with the actuating element in such a way that in a loaded state, when a force is acting on the second lock part relative to the first lock part along the fastening direction, the actuating element is rigidly connected to the first lock part and holds the second lock part on the first lock part. In other words, the second lock part is not directly fastened onto the first lock part, but instead is held on the first lock part indirectly via the actuating element. When the second lock part is under compression or tension, the second lock part acts on the actuating element and blocks the actuating element in such a way that the actuating element cannot be readily detached from the first lock part and, consequently, the lock device is blocked. In the loaded state the first lock part and the second lock part are in this manner rigidly connected to each other via the actuating element.
In an unloaded state, however, in which no or only a small force is acting on the second lock part relative to the first lock part, the lock device is not blocked, and the second lock part can be detached from the first lock part by actuating the actuating element.
Conventionally, in order to couple a dog leash with a dog collar for example, a karabiner is used which is arranged on the dog leash and engages with a fastening bracket on the dog collar. Such karabiners are also used to connect two hauling ropes and can basically transmit great tensile forces. In particular when used on a dog leash, however, conventional karabiners can be difficult and possibly unwieldy to handle.
In a lock device for the connection of a leash to a collar, known from DE 20 2004 011 353 U1, a connecting element, integrated into the collar, is provided which acts together with a counter element, provided on a fastening element on a leash, to form a detachable quick coupling. The counter element here consists of two elastically malleable half shells, which form a ball together and can be catch-lockingly inserted into a ball housing on the collar. By shifting a sleeve, serving as actuating element, the half shells are then elastically reshaped in such a way that the catch locking engagement with the ball housing is released and the counter element can be taken out from the collar and in this manner the leash can be detached from the collar.